For the love of...
by Wouter Jaegers
Summary: If we follow the our timeline, than Ash must be about 15 years old. He's in his puberty and during a very harrowing adventure discovers a side of the opposite gender he wasn't aware of before.


****

For the love of…

A Pokémon fan fiction story by Wouter Jaegers

"Pikachu, thunderbolt attack!" Ash Ketchum ordered to his trusty main pokémon when once again being in a battle against another trainer willing to prove his worth.

"Victreebell, use your stun spore!" Came the reply of the opponent after the Victreebell had successfully dodged the electric attack.

"No matter how often I see him battle, it never gets boring." Brock spoke while observing how the battle erupted in full fury. "Ash is getting better and better, if he would have battled me with the skill he has now, I wouldn't have had the slimmest chance of winning."

"And yet, he lost all but one match when he battled me." Misty remarked. "Almost as if he doesn't give his all when opposing me."

"It can't be because of you being a girl." Brock frowned. "We both know how intense Ash gets involved when battling another trainer, regardless of what the gender that person is."

"But maybe it isn't so much about me being a girl, but more about me being me." Misty thought while watching Ash crippling the pokémon of his opponent. "I just wish I knew for sure."

"Pikachu, use your tackle!" Ash called out, finishing off the Victreebell. "Whew, what a fight. Your Victreebell was a worthy opponent."

"Thanks man." The other trainer smiled while returning the Victreebell into its pokéball. "You were the most skilled trainer I encountered so far, see you in the league."

"Okay, see you there!" Ash waved his opponent goodbye before turning to his friends. "Okay, what's next on the schedule Brock?"

"According to our map, we'll have to pass the 'Ebony Valley' so called because of its jet black rock formations." The older boy replied. "It'll probably take us two or three days to pass through it but the abundance of caves ensure that we don't have to sleep out in the open."

"And we can use Cyndaquill to make campfires." Ash smiled. "So come on, we won't get anywhere by staying here."

"Let's go visit a pokémon center first so we can stash in some supplies." Misty spoke while grabbing Ash by his shoulder. "Besides, your pokémon must be really tired and they have to be in good shape if we encounter trainers in the valley."

"Oh yeah, good thinking." Ash replied. "Glad to have you on my side Misty."

"D… d… did he really just say that?" Misty muttered, staring into the distance in disbelieve.

"Hey Misty, are you coming?" Ash called out, breaking Misty's momentum. 

"WAAAH, WAIT FOR ME!"

"Electabuzz, the dream team is here, Electabuzz, can you hear the crowd cheer. Electabuzz, the victory we claim, Electabuzz, burning hotter than the biggest flame." Casey sang while she and Baileef walked out of Goldenrod City. What a match that was, and what a victory. "Baileef, let me compliment you once again on how you played, first class, worthy of being an Electabuzz member."

"Bay-baaay." Baileef replied in gratitude at its trainer. Casey was hard driven but with a solid gold heart and Baileef loved its trainer very much

"Onto the next city Baileef." Casey smiled. "The Ebony Valley lies in front of us, let's make it known that we as loyal Electabuzz Baseball Club fans can show what it takes to be a winner."

"Bay-Baileef!" Baileef replied while the two of them walked on in a steady pace. Not being aware of the balloon hovering above.

"Well what do you know, that pre adolescent baseball chick shows up once more." Jessie spoke with a sinister smile. "And she doesn't know it yet but she's heading right for a Rendez-Voux with the twerps. Her pokémon added to the ones of that twerp will be a really impressive loot." She then took out a mobile phone. "Meowth balloon one calling Meowth balloon two can you read me?"

"Meowth balloon two to Meowth balloon one, we can receive you loud and clear Jessie." Came James' voice in reply. "All is going just as planned, all three have checked into the pokémon center and will spend the night there. Do you have news?"

"Oh yes I do, that baseball chick and her Baileef are also about to cross the valley, it will be very likely that she will meet up with the twerps." Jessie laughed. "We're in luck, the loot will be bigger than anticipated."

"Right, this time nothing can possibly go wrong." James agreed "And I dare to pledge that I will eat my own uniform if we do mess up."

"Now, that's determination. Okay then, we'll meet up tomorrow at the designated spot, Meowth balloon one out." 

"Electabuzz, the dream team is here, Electabuzz, can you hear the crowd cheer. Electabuzz, the victory we claim, Electabuzz, burning hotter than the biggest flame." Casey sang when she and Baileef made their way across the valley after spending the night just at the edge of the valley. "What a wonderful day, a day with many prospects. Hey do my eyes deceive me or do I see some old friends?"

"Hey you guys look who is walking over there." Ash spoke to his two friends when he saw a familiar face. "If that isn't Casey over there then I will join Team Rocket."

"You'd look good in one of their uniforms but you're right, that's Casey alright!" Misty smiled "HI THERE!"

"Hey you guys, what a fortunate encounter!" Casey smiled while walking up to them. "Are you going through the valley too?"

"Yes we are, we are heading for Cobolo Town." Brock replied. "So what have you been up to?"

"I just got back from Goldenrod City with a Plain Badge in my portfolio." Casey smiled while showing it. "But Whitney sure was a tough opponent."

"Tell me about it." Ash sweat dropped. "It took me two tries to win from her, would you like to tell me how you did it?"

"Meowth balloon to Octillery mecha. Da twerps and da baseball goil are coming your way." Meowth spoke while floating above the four. "If Ah didn't know beddah Ah'd swear that we asked dem to walk into our trap."

"All is ready to go overhere." Came the reply.

"…So when Whitney ordered her Miltank to use its roll out attack, I ordered Baileef to use its vines as a sort of ramp which made the Miltank fly up and slam itself into the wall." Casey spoke to her three friends. 

"Hey, what's going on?" Ash asked when the road suddenly felt different under their feet and then gave way and they all fell into a pit. A gigantic Octillery mecha appeared and grabbed the four and lifted them out of the pit. And soon afterwards the familiar meowth balloon also appeared.

"Hey, what on earth is going on?"

"Hah-ha-haaa, prepare for trouble with eight arms!"

"Our Octillery mecha is ready to seduce you with all its charms!"  
"To protect the world from devastation!"  
"To unite all people within our nation!"  
" To denounce the evil of truth and love!"  
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"  
"Jessie!"  
"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off with the speed of light."  
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

****

POPS! "Woh-buh-fet!"  
"Hey, get away from mah spot, yah show stealer! Okay where was Ah, oh yeah, Meowth dat's right!"

"I'd call it uplifting what we'd come up with this time don't you agree James?" Jessie smiled while operating the tentacle, which held Baileef.

"Just like a real life pokézilla Jessie." James replied while opening the storage compartment in the Octillery mecha's mouth.

"Oh no, you don't!" Casey grunted while pushing the tentacle which held her apart and slipping through it. "You won't get baileef!"

"Quick Jessie, that little brat has freed herself!" James shouted while trying to snatch Casey again with another tentacle but instead hitting Casey and slamming her into the pit. "Well what do you know, that problem solved itself!"

"Casey, she doesn't move anymore!" Misty spoke in horror. "Is she… Is she…? "  
  
"Get yourself together Misty!" Ash shouted while freeing himself and running towards the pit. "That blow wasn't powerful enough to kill somebody, she's just knock out."

"The twerp, he escapes, stop him!" Jessie shouted at her teammates. "Quick throw the bombs!"

"ASH LOOK OUT!" Mist screamed when the first bombs were being thrown at Ash.

"As long as I can make it to the pit!" It raced through Ash's head while dodging the incoming bombs and running as fast as his legs could carry him. "Hold on tight Pikachu, once we've reached the pit, we will be safe."

"Peee-ka!" Pikachu murmured in agreement. But then a tentacle appeared from out of nowhere and coiled around the little rodent's body and pulled it off of Ash's shoulder. "PIIKAAPII!"

"PIKACHU!" Ash screamed when he saw what was happening and left himself wide open. A golden opportunity was handed to Team Rocket who wasted no time in using it.

"Now, he's wide open, nail him before he can chose another pokémon!" Jessie shouted at her teammates.

"Yes ma'am!" Meowth replied while firing a couple of bombs at Ash. Ash instinctively ducked into the pit but the second one also fell in and exploded, breaking the floor and making it cave in.

Ash's thoughts raced while he fell down into the pit, where was Casey, she might have been hurt? Team Rocket has Pikachu. Ash's friends, and the ways he met them came flashing by: Pikachu, Misty, Brock, and Mom… Ash was surprised at how many thoughts a man can have in a few seconds when falling down. In a few seconds he would surely hit the bottom and then it would be all over…

But wait, a sound, a sound of running water. That would mean an Underground River or lake. Ash felt relieved, death wouldn't come for him. …Not today anyway.

The impact on the water surface was a lot harder than he anticipated, hardly surprising given the height from which he fell. Ash took a breath of fresh air and tried to focus but then another sound grabbed his attention, a voice. A girl's voice, very weak but loud enough for Ash to hear and to be able to make out where it was coming from.

"Help me…" Casey's voice whimpered while she fought to stay afloat. She tried to swim but her right leg wouldn't cooperate, it probably broke when she was whipped into the pit. Casey tried and tried but it was a lost battle, the pain simply was too much. With a last exhale she submerged but then she felt two arms being shoved under her armpits and she was pulled to the surface once again.

"Casey, are you alright?" She heard the voice of the one which saved her ask. Casey tried to focus but the pain was too bad and she needed to rest urgently.

Ash swam to the shore and carefully lifted Casey from the water. Casey looked worse for the wear but at least she was still breathing, Ash looked skywards, the hole where he and Casey went through was visible but way out of reach for either Bulbasaur or Chikorita's vines to reach and it would be suicide to try to scale it.

"And what are you planning to do with us?" Brock inquired to his captors but much to his and Misty's surprise the reply came when the tentacles, which held them, gently put them on the ground again and uncoiled. "What, you are letting us go?"

"Of course, now that we have what we came for, our business with you is over." James replied. "Go help your friends, they probably need medical attention." The Octillery mecha's tentacles then folded into propeller blades and the underside of the mecha began to spin making the whole thing take to the skies.

"TEAM ROCKET FLIES OFF AGAIN!"

Brock looked at the departure, could this really be it? 

"Oh no." Misty's terror stricken voice spoke when she saw the hole in the bottom of the pit, Casey and Ash fell in. Misty fell on her knees; there was no way anybody could survive that fall. Ash, that obnoxious, selfish, dense, generous, loyal, cute and lovable boy, was this really the end? Misty felt how the flooding began and she didn't care about it, without Ash around it didn't have any meaning at all.

Brock looked away from the scene, his best friend was no more. But then his attention was taken by a faint sound of someone yelling. When turning around he noted that Misty was sitting upright focussing and motioning him to be quiet.

"Helloooo… Brooooooock, Mistyyyyyyyyyyyyyy… Can you hear meeeeeee?" 

"Yes Ash, we can hear you!" Misty shouted back smiling through her tears; good old Ash, luck had once again been on his side.

Ash looked at the hole and saw some movement. It was too far away to make out the person who was speaking at him but judging from the pitch of the voice, it had to be Misty. The echo made it hard to hear exactly what she was saying; it came through too distorted to make out the words. Ash needed to think; how could he tell his friends about the situation?

"Noctowl, I choose you!" Ash called out while making the owl pokémon appear. Ash reached into his backpack and took out a pen and some paper, scribbled something down and handed the note to Noctowl. "Noctowl bring this to Brock and Misty."

With a loud hoot, the owl pokémon took to the air and flew up. Misty looked seriously through her wet eyes when Noctowl came flying through the hole and handed her the note.

"Guys, we fell into an underground river or lake, it's too dark to make up exactly how big it is, the walls are too steep to climb and the hole is too high for the vines of Bulbasaur or Chikorita to reach. Casey is injured she probably has broken her leg and isn't able to move. Go to the nearest pokémon center to get some help." 

Brock grabbed a pen and wrote a reply on the back of the note.

"Gotcha, hang in there, Misty and me will get help as soon as possible, as for Casey's leg, I will give Notcowl our first aid kit so you can apply emergency bandages. Use your Chikorita's sleep powder attack to sedate her first since this will really hurt."

Ash took the first aid kit from Noctowl and read Brock's note. Casey was shivering, she probably was in a fever Ash realized that they would need more than just the first aid kid and wrote another note asking for blankets and food.

After retrieving the blankets and food, Ash returned Noctowl and went over to Casey to take care for her. Ash tried to make out where exactly she was hurt but it was too dark to see. Ash took a deep thought and released Cindaquill

With Cindaquill's flame illuminating the place Ash could finally make good measurements of the cave in which he and Casey were situated. The fall they made was even higher than a six-story house; the water was a very fortunate break. Speaking of breaks, Casey's leg, she needed treatment ASAP.

"Quick, we need a rescue helicopter." Officer Jenny called out to her fellow police officers. "The situation is urgent, ready all available medical staff at the hospital."

"Man, once again I am faced with the reason why I like Officer jenny so much." Brock blubbered. "When she sets something up she does it with the best means available."

"Earth to Brock, this is a situation in which every available option has to be used." Misty growled while pinching Brock's ear. "This is no time to be acting like a fool." Misty then looked at her feet. "I sure hope Ash can handle all this."

"Casey, can you hear me?" Ash spoke when Casey was getting around again. "Casey, speak to me, where are you hurt?" Ash asked while opening the first aid kit. 

"My hip…" Came the weak reply. "I can't move my leg at all." 

"Cindaquill come a little closer will you, I need all the lights I can use." Ash commanded the little fire pokémon. Ash inspected Casey's hip, her shorts showed a big red bloodstain: no doubt the place of the wound and then there was this weird lump sticking out. "I guess the upper leg bone is dislocated, I have to straighten it." Ash then took a pair of scissors from the first aid kit and brought them to the hem of Casey's shorts.

"Wha…what are you doing?" came Casey's disturbed protest. "Don't touch me you… you… pervert." 

"I'm sorry Casey but I have to cut open your shorts in order to treat your injuries." Ash replied soberly while continuing the cut her shorts open. "Keep your teeth on each other, this might hurt."

"Nooo…" Casey cringed when Ash carefully continued to cut open her shorts. Casey somehow managed to bring her torso up and took a swing at Ash. "Keep… away… from… me…"

"This is the last straw…" Ash grumbled but then caught himself, Casey wasn't herself, it was the pain which made her act this way. Ash then remembered what Brock's note said. "Listen Casey, you need to calm down, you need treatment. Chikorita, I choose you."

"Chikooo!" The leaf pokémon spoke while coming out.

"Chikorita, use your sleep powder attack." Ash called out. "Casey, I'm sorry about this but it's for your own good."

"Nooo… leave me alone…" Casey weakly protested while her body slowly surrendered itself to the sleep powder. With Casey in a slumber Ash continued his work and cut the shorts open and carefully removed them.

"Oh my, this wound is really ugly, it's worse than I thought." Ash observed while carefully examining the wound. He was right; the upper bone from Casey's leg had been dislocated from its place by the hipbone. This would take a lot of power to be re-set to its old location, Ash doubted that he would be strong enough to perform such a thing. If only Brock were here.

"Chikorita, use your vines to pull Casey's leg back to its original position." Ash spoke to the little leaf pokémon in a moment of brightness. Ash then carefully wrapped his arms around Casey's waist and held her tight. "Okay Chikorita, pull!"

"Chikoo!" Chikorita replied before pulling on Casey's leg until it snapped back into its place. Sensing the move, Chikorita relieved the tension on its vines.

"Well done Chikorita." Ash praised his pokémon while checking Casey's hip. All was back at it's place; now to clean the wound and bandage it all. But then there was another problem, which presented itself. The wound extended to her waist, in order for Ash to bandage the wound he had no choice but to remove Casey's panties.

Ash brought the scissors to the elastics of Casey's panties but couldn't cut them. Come on, somewhere the line had to be drawn, and even seeing a girl in panties was way beyond the line. But on the other hand, in order to help Casey he just had to do it. And just maybe if he would cut just one elastic and leave the cloth lying on her crotch it wouldn't be that bad. Choosing that last option Ash nervously cut the elastic.

Ash worked like a professional, that adventure at the hospital sure had taught him a thing or two. After cleaning the wound with Iodine he began to wrap her up, carefully lifting her leg and applying the bandage while trying to stay focussed and not to pay attention at what was revealed when doing so. "There, I bandaged your leg as well as I could, you need to rest now." 

"But you need something, I have had enough indecency to last for an entire lifetime…" Ash spoke blushing before rummaging in his backpack and fetching a pair of underpants. Carefully, he lifted up her legs, put her feet trough the openings of the panties and shoved them upwards until they were around Casey's waist. "There, that's better, you probably will kill me for this when you wake up but it was for your own good." Ash then took one of his spare shirts and tied it around Casey's waist; the improvised skirt at least made her look decent again.

Ash then looked at the hole and saw how the light was getting dimmer and a faint rumble was heard; it probably was going to rain. Cindaquil was getting tired and wouldn't be able to provide light and warmth. Ash knew he had to act fast, because heat was crucial.

"Noctowl, I choose you." Ash shouted while making the Owl pokémon appear once again. "Noctowl, quick fly out and get as much firewood as you possibly can." Ash watched the owl pokémon fly out and saw the lightning flash, it reminded him of Pikachu. Pikachu, Team Rocket had Pikachu and he couldn't stop them from getting away.

But Casey was more important, she could have drowned if he wasn't there to save her and even if she did manage to reach the shore, her wound would have started to play up with infections and what's more. Ash consoled himself by the knowledge that Pikachu would understand that. Besides, Team Rocket surely wouldn't have it easy with Pikachu; Pikachu would never give in and would continue to rebel against them. Ah Noctowl had returned.

"Cindaquill, light the fire." Ash ordered the little fire pokémon before returning it to its pokéball. "Thank you Cindaquill, you may rest now, you've deserved it." Ash then took out his sleeping bag and a spare blanket. After covering Casey with the blanket Ash curled up in his sleeping bag and surrendered to the urge to rest.

"It's no use, the weather is too bad to for us to start up the rescue party." Officer Jenny spoke to Misty and Brock at the Pokémon center. "The wind is too strong for the helicopter to take off."

"But you have to!" Misty shouted. "Who knows how bad the situation is down there, this is urgent!"

"Listen Misty, Officer Jenny is right." Brock spoke while holding Misty back. "The weather is too bad to undertake a rescue operation, would you like to see more people hurt than there already are?" Brock felt how Misty's body relaxed and he decreased his grip. "Listen I know what Ash means to you but have faith in him, if anybody can hold on in such a situation it's him." Brock then noticed warm moisture on his hand, Misty was crying.

"I hope you're right Brock." Misty whispered while making off to the guestroom. Brock guessed that she would cry herself to sleep. Misty, the only girl who didn't affect him in behavior just like any other girl he met, Misty, always tough as nails and quite masculine in her way of doing now showed a side Brock would never have expected her to have.

Brock remembered talking to Tracey when the three of them came from the Orange league. Ash and Misty were constantly in each other's hair, a sign that they grew closer than he remembered them to be when he traveled with them. Tracey then told him about that adventure with the gym leader who made advances on Misty and how Misty openly chose to remain at Ash's side and how she risked her life to save Ash when he fell off Lugia and nearly drowned. Brock surely was made aware of it but this was the first time that he had witnessed it firsthand.

"Where am I?" was the first thing in Casey's mind when her slumber slowly faded and she once again entered reality. The warmth of a fire and a blanket were among the first things she got aware of. And then there was this odor, soup or at least something like that.

"Good morning to you too." Came a voice. Casey tried to focus but her eyelids were too heavy to open up fully. "Calm down, you must take it easy." The voice spoke again but now Casey recognized the voice, it was Ash. Then as if a tape inside her mind was replayed back to what happened before she fell asleep she remembered what was going on. It involved a pair of scissors and her shorts.

Suddenly Casey jolted up wide-awake, what had that low life piece of scum been doing while she was out? And it struck her, the pain was gone or at least for the most part, her right leg, she could move it again.

"Whoa, calm down, your leg won't heal properly when you move so abruptly." Ash spoke while offering her a cup of soup. "Although, this is proof enough that my emergency treatment for your dislocated leg bone was successful, here have a cup of soup you must be starving."

Casey shook her head trying to piece it all together. Casey then checked her lower body; she was wearing panties and a skirt. But this wasn't right and when she saw her blood covered shorts which were cut open and a girl's panties in similar state lying around she became aware on why it wasn't right. Casey once again let her hand drift down to the panties she was wearing, two stitched ribbons and double cloth at the crotch; these were Boy's underpants.

Casey then checked her hip, fully bandaged well onto her waist. Ash surely had some serious explaining to do.

"Ash Ketchum…" Casey growled. "You'd better have a good explanation for this." 

"Easy, Casey." Ash spoke quietly; he had been expecting such a reaction. "Listen, since you were so uncooperative when I wanted to treat your wound I had to use my Chikorita to put you asleep. I am not proud of the fact that I had to undress you but it was a necessity in order to treat your wounds. Please understand that there was no other way." 

When looking in Casey's eyes he knew that he might as well be able to have been talking to a brick wall, Casey was boiling up and ready to blow.

****

SLAP!

Ash felt his cheek glow as the sharp pain began to spread. Ash then felt the fatigue and frustration take over. 

"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF IT! What the hell is your problem Casey, you did nothing but bitching ever since we got trapped and I'm sick of it! YOU HEAR ME, I'M SICK OF IT!" Ash roared. Casey looked with a terror stricken face at Ash who was shocked by his own anger. "Oh my, I'm sorry, I… I don't know what gotten into me."

"No Ash, I am the one who should apologize." Casey sobbed. "You were right, I have been acting like a brat. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the fact that you treated my wounds. It's just that I am so scared of not being rescued and have been taking it out on you."

"I guess that both our egos keep colliding when we are locked up, causing us both to behave this way." Ash spoke while the tears ran from his eyes. "I'm so sorry, for what I said and did."

"Let's make up." Casey offered. "We won't get anywhere by bickering."

"Right." Ash spoke while extending his hand, expecting Casey to put hers in his and shake it. But instead he suddenly felt her lips touching his. "Hey…mmmphhh." Suddenly Ash's mind was in full overdrive, a kiss but not just a kiss and why did it make him feel so warm? Ash tried to take in a breath of air, but then felt that Casey's mouth was also opening, in unison with his. Ash's motions began to respond to Casey's. Ash's body responded in a way he never could have imagined, his lips made movements they never made before and yet felt so natural… A kiss!

"What did I just do?" Casey's mind tried to make sense of her action. Ash looked back at her with a 'deer-in-the-headlights' look on his face. Whatever it was and whatever the reason was for doing it, it felt good, it felt like something that had to happen.

"Casey…" Ash whispered slowly regaining his senses. "Why…? And why does it make me feel this way?" Ash felt like a lit had been pulled from a hidden part of his being. It now made sense. 

"Can a kiss change people that much?" He remembered asking when seeing two Nidoran evolve after kissing each other. It was a girl who answered that question.

"Oh yes it does and you will find out about that eventually." Came the reply, Misty had been right all along. A kiss does indeed change people, Ash felt like he evolved.

"Ash?" Casey spoke while pulling away from his face. "Ash I… I'm sorry if I took you off guard but I just had to kiss you, you… you are…"

"Wow…" Came Ash's reply. "Are… are you in love …with me?" Ash looked in Casey's eyes, eyes so warm and vulnerable. Ash now saw just what was exposed when the lit was pulled, so far he saw love as nothing but something to be ashamed of and kissing was yucky. Never did it occur to him that kissing could be enjoyable and that love was the nicest feeling one could ever have. "Are you in love with me Casey?"

Casey looked at Ash, the first boy she ever kissed, she felt like a crystal statue, warm and empowering to see but extremely fragile at the same time. The question "Are you in love with me?" reverberated deep inside her. It felt like being in court when the judge asks whether you are guilty or innocent of a crime you committed. Casey felt her whole body readying itself for the answer.

"Yes." It came out in a soft whisper, Casey felt, as if the weight of the world was lifted from her shoulders, she felt light, like a Butterfree flying off. One word could be so liberating. But what about Ash did he feel the same way?

The picture was incomplete, something wasn't right. Sure Casey was a fine person and a sweet girl but there was something lacking. Something just wasn't right. But it could also be just confusion Ash needed to be sure. This time it was would be him who would take the first step, even if it were just to find out for sure if he felt the same way.

Casey's heart was pumping furiously when Ash gently pulled her close, once again their lips met and once again the magic would happen. But it didn't, the magic stayed away. Casey felt her blood going cold; this second kiss confirmed her fear. Ash didn't feel the same way.

A second lit was opened and what it revealed wasn't as pleasing as what the first one revealed, it revealed a darker image of himself. Ash saw through a lens but the reflection he saw wasn't Casey's. This side of love was dark and depressing, it showed how it can break somebody's heart when it's not mutual and Ash knew from the feeling from this second kiss that he didn't need to tell Casey what this kiss already proved. 

"I'm sorry…" Ash spoke softly while tears ran down his cheeks. "Please don't misunderstand me Casey but it's just not right. Not in this place, not in this time and not with me." 

The two of them settled in silence, accepting what the kiss had pointed out. The storm was still raging in full fury and Ash found himself wondering when and if his friends would arrive. And then there was Pikachu being stolen by Team Rocket. How could Ash know that Pikachu wasn't as far away from where he himself was.

"Man what a storm." Jessie sighed while trying to relax in the bulk of the Octillery mecha. "If this keeps up it'll take us a few more days to even get to the Team Rocket Headquarters."

"Don't worry Jessie, as soon as the weather clears up we can take off again and give the boss both Pikachu and Baileef." James spoke soothingly. "But you know it's kind of weird to realize that we finally have done what we set ourselves to do. Where to go next?"

"You're right, trying to capture Pikachu has become a second nature for us, we have gotten used to it." Jessie agreed. "I feel kinda empty now that we finally succeeded in doing so."

"Jessica, have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" James spoke shyly while grabbing Jessie's hands. "Now that this is over, why don't we… I mean you and I… No I mean us…"

"James…" Jessie whispered happily while bringing up a warm smile. Suddenly she felt like a young girl again.

"PEEE-KAAH-CHUUUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu roared while zapping the cage it was put in but to no avail.

"Give it up why don't cha, dese here cages are custom made fah yous two. Dere's absolutely no escape from dese." Meowth laughed. "We had dese two babies build to withstand da attacks of yous two, Pikachu's cage especially for Pikachu and Baileef's cage for Baileef."

"Bay?" Baileef suddenly realized something; if what Meowth said was true then there was hope for an escape after all. If the cages were designed with one single pokémon in mind than that must mean that one cage couldn't hold another Pokémon than the Pokémon it was designed for. Baileef quickly realized that for an escape to succeed he and Pikachu needed to wait until Meowth was out of earshot.

"Bay-bay-bayleef!" Baileef spoke to Meowth.

"Fair enough, Ah'll get you some food." Meowth spoke in response. "Da boss is keen on getting healthy pokémon and it's mah duty tah keep you well fed." Baileef smiled while Meowth walked off, it was now or never.

Carefully Baileef carefully stuck its vines through the air vents of his cage and grabbed the cage of Pikachu. "Bay-bay." Baileef spoke to pikachu as if to say to hold on tight. Pikachu responded in understanding, bracing itself when Baileef picked up the cage and slammed it down, breaking the lock enabling Pikachu to escape.

Pikachu then used its thundershock on Baileef's cage frying the electric lock and Baileef also could re-claim his freedom, nodding to each other the two waited for Meowth to return.

"Here's your meal, take your time tah eat it, da boss doesn't like bloated pokémon and ... Err…Uh-oh..." Meowth spoke in silent terror when seeing Pikachu's sparkling cheeks. "Oh no, please not another shock..."

"What a wonderful idea James, now that we finally have both the time and the opportunity we should use it." Jessie smiled while embracing James. "It's so wonderful that the idea alone almost smells like roses."

"Yes, like the perfume you are wearing at the moment." James responded. "The idea is so sweet as your perfume."

"What are you talking about, I am not wearing perfume." Jessie spoke in surprise. "I thought that you were, because I do smell some very sweet perfume."

"But I'm not wearing perfume either." James responded sounding equally surprised. "But where's that scent coming from?"

"Uh-oh, I think I know where the scent comes from James."

"Bay-bay BAY!" Baileef spoke while grabbing the two Team Rocket members with its vines and lifted them away from the control panel. Baileef then nodded to Pikachu.

Pikachu leapt upon the control panel and began to spark.

"Oh no, not the control panel." James whimpered.

"Peeeeeee-kaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh…"

"James would you like some fries to go with your uniform?" Jessie sighed.

****

"CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

"Looks like Team Rocket is being fried agaaaaaaiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnn!"

Pikachu and Baileef jumped from the burning wreck of the Octillery mecha and made their way back to the spot where they had been stolen from their masters, back to freedom.

As the rain continued to their endless downpour, Ash looked out at the underground lake and watched the ripples it made on the surface. Each drop that came through the hole in the ceiling made a different kind of ripple and a different kind of sound. Strange but that sound itself was kind of soothing.

"Penny for your thoughts." Casey spoke while carefully making her way next to him, moving as slow as she could not to hurt herself too much doing so. "Kinda beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah, it reminds me of that one scene in that Walt Dizzey movie, Dandy." Ash sighed with a smile. "I don't know if you ever saw that one."

"The one with the baby Stantler? Of course I have, my parents have the whole video collection of Dizzey." Casey laughed. "I have watched them until they were warn out."

"Well this whole situation reminds me of that scene in which Dandy is walking through the forest and hears the music which is being made by all the raindrops falling down and hitting different objects each having a different tone and pitch." Ash then let his smile droop away. "Casey, I'm sorry."

"Please Ash, you don't have to apologize, even if I don't get your love I find comfort in you being my friend." Casey replied soberly. "And why would you apologize for giving me friendship, after all, not everybody can say that hey have such a good friend around." 

"Thank you." Ash looked at Casey, once again those eyes were opening up to him, eyes full of warmth, eyes full of dedication and love. Ash's thoughts then drifted off to another person he knew who had such eyes. "You remind me of my Mom…"

"Your mother?" Casey asked a little surprised. "Why do I remind you of your mother?"

"Because of the look in your eyes, I know only one other person who has that particular gaze in her stare." Ash smiled shyly. "I guess that the lucky guy who will get to be your boyfriend will fall for those eyes, you have something maternal in them, use it and you'll get any guy you want."

"Thanks." Casey blushed. "But… But why didn't you fall for my eyes, if you just say why every guy would fall for them."

"I don't think I can really explain that." Ash smiled uneasy. "Brock once told me that opposites attract and I guess that we are much too alike to make it work out."

"Oh, I understand, I think." Casey nodded. "What kind of character traits do you seek in a girl?"

"Gee I haven't really thought about that before, since I never had paid too much attention to that." Ash then took a long gaze over the surface of the lake. What did he search for in a girl? When Casey kissed him, he already was handed the answer but how could he bring that to words? "I guess she has to be a little older than I am, Brock once told me that older women have more experience although I don't understand just exactly in what. I am a very skilled trainer but at some points I'm still the same rookie I was when leaving Pallet Town, I'd like a girl who can show me and teach me about stuff I don't know. I don't mind her being a little harsh on me either, I know that I can't make it if everything is going my way, feedback is always a necessity for me to keep going forward."

"So you want your girl to be older, loud mouthed and tomboyish?" Casey snickered. "If that's so, then why don't you try your luck on Misty?"

"HER? Have you gone completely bonkers?" Ash shouted while going maroon. "I can't stand her, she always bitches about everything I do, nothing I do is right, she always has to find a reason to correct me. Yes, she has more experience than me in training and yes she used to be a gym trainer but she doesn't have to get on my back all the time…" 

Casey smiled at the scene; this reaction proved she was right. 

****

"I'm glad the weather finally broke." Misty sighed while the mountain patrol helicopter made its way to Ebony valley, two days had gone by since the Team Rocket assault. "I just hope that Ash and Casey are all right."

"Don't worry Misty." Nurse Joy spoke soberly. "The water of that Underground River is drinkable and you and Brock gave them all they needed to hold on until we could rescue them."

"And now that we finally can rescue them we can use the best at our disposal." Officer Jenny agreed. "These men and Women are experts in rescuing people from cliffs, your friends are in good hands."

"I guess you're right. What the… Look up there, that's the Team Rocket meowth balloon." Misty spoke to Officer Jenny. "They have gone back to the place where they assaulted us."

"And if my guess is right, they are doing so because Pikachu and Baileef escaped from their capture, they probably assume that the two of them went back to the spot they were captured." Brock joined in. "Let's land the chopper before they spot us and go on foot so we can surprise them."

"Roger that." The pilot replied. "I'll keep the engine on stand-by if you need me to come over."

"Thank you. Everybody out, we'll continue the journey on foot." Officer Jenny spoke to the people in the helicopter after it landed on a field close to the designated spot.

"This is the place where we stole Pikachu and Baileef, so it's only natural to assume that they have gone back here to search for their masters." James spoke while the meowth balloon made its way above Ebony Valley. "But the devil might know where they are now because there's no sight of them anywhere."

"Den Ah'm da devil James." Meowth smiled. "Dere's da hole da twerp and da baseball chick fell into, what beddah place for dem to be going to dan dere?"

"Meowth has a point." Jessie spoke up. "They must have entered the cave our bomb made in search of their masters. Let's land the balloon and check it out."

"They are landing their balloon." One of the rescue people spoke while the rescue party made their way to the cave. 

"Hey, wait a minute, do you smell what I smell?" Misty spoke up while halting the rescue party. "That must be Baileef, it seems that you were right Brock."

"If we follow the scent we will find Pikachu and Baileef." Misty resumed. "They can help us fight Team Rocket."

"Whoa, this is deep." James spoke when looking into the cave after the Balloon had landed. "I can't even see the bottom. If they really fell in then it's very unlikely that they survived."

"Don't jump to conclusions yet James." Jessie smiled while looking in with night vision goggles. "There's a river flowing at the bottom, that must have broken their fall." Jessie then adjusted her goggles a little more spotting Ash and Casey. " Ah-ha-ha-haa. And there they are, alive and well." James then put on his goggles and took a look down too.

"They appear to be asleep, if only we can get down there without waking them." James muttered while observing the situation himself. "If we descend using a rope, we will fall into the water awaking them for sure and losing our element of surprise that way."

"But if we use our parachutes we don't have to worry about that James." Jessie smiled while getting up and retrieving the chutes from the basked of the Meowth balloon. "Here, strap it on and Jump in, I will be right behind you, Meowth you stay here to hoist us two out again when we tell you to."

"Okay, leave it tah me-owth!"

"They have strapped on parachutes." Brock whispered while observing the scene. "They probably will descend into the cave."

"They are leaving Meowth behind, probably so he can tow them out using the balloon." Misty joined in. "This might be our chance."

"What are you planning Misty?" Officer Jenny asked the redhead.

"Whew, what a height." James whispered when he and Jessie gently landed. "At least this plan will be waterproof."

"Pikachu and Baileef are nowhere to be seen." Jessie observed. "I guess that they wouldn't want to risk breaking every bone in their bodies climbing down."

"But if we use those two as hostages, pikachu and Baileef will come to the rescue." James laughed. "Sherlock James is ready for the job."

"And still they sleep, now it's time to wake them up." Jessie smiled while bringing out a net firing device. "Wakey-wakey, rise and shine!" 

****

BOOMF!

A net shot out and captured Ash and Casey, awakening them rudely.

"Hey, what's with this?" Casey screamed when becoming aware of what was happening.

"Prepare for trouble while we're in our prime."

"And make it double because you are facing us for a second time."

"Did you really think you were rid of us?"

"Think again because we're back to show you just who is boss.

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket's antics of stealing pokémon is what makes us more than one thief."

"And if we have to quit doing so, there will be no relieve."

****

POPS! "Woh-buh-fet!"

"Oh god, not them again." Ash groaned. "Didn't you two have had enough yet?"

"We won't stop until we finally have what we want!" Jessie sneered.  
"Even if it would cost me my intestines, we will get your pikachu." James joined in.

"So, Pikachu and Baileef escaped?" Ash spoke with a sly smile. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"We assumed that they would come back for you two, I guess we were wrong but we can still use you as bait." Jessie smiled "Meowth, hoist the net up!" 

"Ooowh my hip!" Casey screamed when the net was yanked upwards.

"Don't be such a wimp, a little pain doesn't hurt!" Jessie laughed evilly at Casey who continued to cringe in pain while the four of them were rudely pulled up. "Once we finally have recaptured both of your pokémon, you are free to go."

"That's truly diabolic, Casey needs medical attention!" Ash raged.

"Don't worry as soon as we used the both of you as bait, we'll take care of her." James laughed. "Team Rocket has an excellent medical facility, trust me on this one twerp, Me and Jessie have been there quite a few times."

"Say cheese!" A voice spoke when the net and its occupants reached the surface. Jessie and James looked around in amazement, Pikachu, Baileef, the two other twerps, police officers and mountaineers awaited them.

"Ah'm sawree guys." Meowth spoke from the vines of Baileef that held him tightly. "Dey seized me befah Ah knew it." 

"Since Pikachu knows me almost as long as it knows Ash, it was piece of cake of commanding it to shock Meowth." Misty laughed. "We had the same assumption that you had about Pikachu and Baileef would go search for their masters."

"James, take off your gloves." Jessie grumbled. "It's time for you to keep that promise, eat them."

"Guys, you haven't got the slightest idea how glad we are to be out of that cave." Ash smiled after he and Casey were released from the net. "Pikachu, I'm so glad to see again."

"Bay-bay-bay!" Baileef spoke to its master who carefully stroked its head. Casey was about to faint, the pain was getting too much to bear. With a smile she accepted the void as she was carried into the ambulance helicopter that would fly all of them to Cobolo town Hospital.

"Great to be mobile again." Casey smiled while making her way across the hallways of the hospital in a wheelchair. It had been two days after the rescue and the pain wasn't too bad anymore.

"Be careful not to crash!" Ash shouted while seeing her go. After a day in observation Ash was released from the hospital, only a couple of minor bruises was what he kept as silent reminders of what had happened and they would eventually vanish too.

"My compliments young man." The Nurse Joy who checked out Casey's injuries spoke to Ash. "You really did a fine job taking care of this, if all goes well she should be healed and be able to walk again within a couple of weeks."

"No problem Nurse Joy, but I actually learned all that from Brock." Ash smiled blushing "He has been such a help on our journeys and I don't know what we'd do without him."

"And I don't know what I would have done..." Misty sighed, Ash turned her way and smiled but was very surprised at seeing her wet eyes, why was she crying?

"Oh Ash…"Misty wailed while hugging him. Finally allowing the floods to open up fully and let the tears come. But this wasn't like the times she cried out of fear of lost or the time she cried out of worry, these were tears of relieve, tears that symbolized the return of happiness.

Much like the kiss he got from Casey, this openly show of affection by Misty triggered some chemical reaction inside Ash. Ash, as in some kind of trance, felt how his arms automatically closed around Misty and pulled her close. Strange, normally whenever Misty cried he would just ridicule her, after all it was really girly to cry. But not this time, he felt her body warmth, radiating and shaking with every deep sob. Ash couldn't help but to begin to feel very fuzzy, Misty, she felt so warm and soft, just like a warm and cozy bed. How would it feel to kiss Misty? Would it have the magic of that very first kiss he ever had, would the touch of her lips be as soft as Casey's were? 

"So this is what Brock meant when he said that a girl is like the softest pillow one can ever have." Ash thought to himself while pulling Misty closer. All of a sudden Ash found himself wondering what it would be like to sleep with Misty, to have her in his arms at night and cuddle up against her in slumber. How long would she continue to cry in his arms, a minute, an hour? Ash didn't care; it could never last long enough.

Brock looked at the two from a distance, what the hell had happened down there? It was a guy thing to notice when the blossoming of the manhood of another guy was set in motion. Something very important had happened down there and it changed Ash, it changed him for good. 

"Don't they look sweet?" Casey's voice spoke when she rolled her wheelchair to Brock's side. Brock cocked a suspicious look at her: there was something in the tone of her voice. 

"Okay Casey, who is that guy over there and where have you hidden Ash?" Brock thought to himself while eyeing Casey and making ends meet when looking at Ash. "What the hell happened there?" 

"Misty?" Ash whispered making Misty catch her breath and looking up to him. Ash slowly considered his next line; he already knew what would happen if he got it wrong. "Uhm, I wanted to ask you if you want to…"

"Yes Ash?" Misty encouraged him while looking a little unsure in his eyes. And then she saw it. That stare, the stare of somebody in love, Misty felt her heart pounding. Ash blushed; he must have sensed it too. The magic was coming, or maybe it was already there from the time she met up with him in the Pokémon center of Viridian City when he took her bike to save his Pikachu. It didn't really matter, from the moment that she hugged him and cried on his shoulder her heart never seemed to stop singing.

"Misty, when you told me that a kiss can change people…"

****

The End


End file.
